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Saturday, September 14

A baby girl born at 9.11pm on 9/11, weighing 9lbs 11oz has left people stunned with the spooky but amazing coincidence on the 18th anniversary of the devastating terror attacks. Little Christina Malone-Brown made history when she arrived in the world at a hospital in Tennessee in the US on Wednesday when the world was grieving for the lives lost. Her mum Cametrione Malone-Brown was taken into the delivery room for a C-section at 8.55pm and as soon as the clock turned 9.11pm the cries of a newborn baby were heard. Dad Justin Brown was in disbelief and even more stunned when his daughter was placed on the scales where she weighed 9lbs 11oz.

"We have a true 9/11 baby," said Justin. "Time was just rolling then all of a sudden we heard the 'wah' and then they called it 9.11."Then they got her on the table and said 'Oh my God, she weighs 9 11."The delivery doctor was also shocked by the numbers. Justin added: "She was so excited and said this is a 9 11, 9 11, 9 11 baby."The parent care coordinator, Rachel Laughlin, said the numbers made Christina even more special than she already is. Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital shared the incredible coincidence on social media. The post quoted mum Cametrione, who reflected on the importance of that day."We had emotions and we felt it," she said."Then 18 years later on that day 9/11, you find triumph; you find a piece of joy from a day that was so drastic and still hurts."Hospital officials said that Christina is in good condition and will be going home in a few days.

If you're a chocolate lover of a certain age, the name Marathon will bring back all kinds of sweet nostalgia. But the bars disappeared off shelves in 1990 when manufacturers Mars decided to give the nutty snack the same name across the world - Snickers. While chocoholics could still enjoy the same peanut and caramel goodness in bars of Snickers, the name change meant things just weren't the same as they used to be. But now it's time for fans to rejoice, as Marathon bars are returning to the shops again.

Retro editions of the bar, with Marathon branding, will be on sale again for the next three months. The limited-edition bars will only be available in Morrisons, priced at £1 for a pack of four. Announcing the retro chocolate, Gemma Buggins, brand director for Mars, says: "Bringing the Marathon bar branding back for a limited time really was a no brainer."It’s a great way to celebrate over 85 years of Mars making chocolate and we hope this serves as a wonderful treat for fans of Snickers who remember when it was called Marathon!"

These five strangers share a frightening bond: They all survived shark attacks. They are now members of an exclusive online support group called Bite Club, and they're sharing their harrowing experiences with each other in person for the first time."I don't think this is something that ever leaves you," said Steve Robles. Robles, a long-distance swimmer, and the former lifeguard were attacked in the waters off Manhattan Beach, California, in 2014. The shark tore into his upper back and blood gushed from an artery as he was carried to safety. His back still bears the scars. Leeanne Ericson was left with a chunk missing from her leg after a great white shark ripped through her wet suit as she swam in San Diego in 2017. She managed to escape by punching it in the eye. Maria Korcsmaros, a fitness instructor, was swimming in Orange County, California, in 2016 when a shark clamped down on her, biting her stomach and back. She still has scars down the right side of her body."I was a bit like a hamburger," she said. Another great white shark tore through 15-year-old Keane Webre-Hayes' face, back, and shoulder. Inside Edition was with the teen when he went back into the ocean in June. Kim Bishop, from California, was kayaking in Hawaii earlier this year when a shark tipped over the kayak and attacked."My leg was ripped open," she said. After their attacks, the survivors were welcomed into Bite Club, an online support club with hundreds of members around the world."I feel like we are family already," Bishop said. A group of swimmers headed out to the water to honor the Bite Club members. Ericson, who is still recovering, was only able to watch from the shore, while Bishop was returning to the water for the first time in four months. Her fellow Bite Club members cheered her on."I did it! I did it!" she said.

Kyler Nipper looks at his collections of shoes ⁠— hundreds of sneakers, sandals and slip-ons ⁠— with pride and amazement. At 14, he never thought he'd have this many kicks, piled so high in boxes and racks that they smush against the ceiling of his small storage unit. He knows his hoard so well that he can immediately rattle off any pair's size, brand and origin with just a glimpse. He's become what some might call a shoe expert. But they're not even his to keep. He's giving them all away. This teen is the founder of the nonprofit Kyler's Kicks. When he's not doing his schoolwork or spending time with his family at home in Las Vegas, he's organizing new and used shoes that are sent to him, scrubbing them clean and assuring they make it into the hands of people in need in his community — whether that's someone who is homeless, someone living on a low income or someone who needs a new pair of shoes and just can't afford to buy them. Sitting among towering stacks of shoeboxes in his small storage unit, Kyler said, "Kindness is like the best thing in the world."

Kindness is what Kyler is all about. He likes to say that people can't just "tell people to be kind, we have to show it, too." And show he does. In the three years, he's been running Kyler's Kicks, he's given away more than 25,000 pairs of shoes to kids and adults all across Las Vegas. Kyler is spending his spare time meticulously organizing bright blue tennis shoes into plastic bags and separating matte leather high heels by size because he's on a mission. "It makes me feel better that I give away shoes because I have been through it," he said. "It made me make sure that what happened to me wasn't happening to anybody else."And what happened to him ... nearly killed him. When Kyler was 11 years old, he experienced what his mom, Sherise Nipper, describes as "the worst day of our lives." A bully stabbed him in the chest, Kyler said, because of his shoes.

"Kyler has an Achilles tendon deformation, and it causes him to walk on his tippy toes ... which causes the front part of his shoes to crack, break, be ruined by the second day he wears them," Nipper said. She explained that "Kyler was bullied over his shoes regularly" because of this."It made me feel depressed and sad and angry," Kyler said. "The first thing I thought was, 'Where can I get some new shoes and how can I get new shoes with my family being able to afford them?' Because at that time ... we were just barely scraping by."The bullying escalated to the point of violence when Kyler was in middle school, Nipper said. "Oct. 7th, 2016. We thought we lost Kyler on that day."A young boy in Kyler's school allegedly stabbed Kyler in the chest with a sharp pencil in the hallway. His lung collapsed, leaving the then-sixth grader unable to breathe. He laid on the ground of his school waiting for care until his mother arrived, Nipper said."I could never describe what it felt like to look up my son completely blue in the face and lifeless," Nipper said.

She rushed Kyler in her own car to the hospital, where doctors told her he was critically injured. He was whisked into emergency surgery and kept on a ventilator, Nipper said, for three of the longest days of her life."I will never forget the feeling of, come on baby, just breathe, just breathe, just breathe," she said. "I never thought I would see Kyler breathe again. I never thought I would hear his voice again."Nipper was only able to take a breath of relief on Oct. 9, when Kyler was finally able to breathe on his own. His first thought after waking up? He couldn't let what happened to him happen to anyone else."Since he woke up from the surgery. … All Kyler could think about was giving out shoes. He was talking about giving out shoes before he even left the hospital," Nipper said.However, while Kyler was able to go home with his parents, the family was forced up against another devastating hurdle.

"Our family lost everything when Kyler was stabbed. … It became a huge expense of almost $2,000 a month just on Kyler's medical expenses," she said. Kyler's parents were forced to choose between paying for Kyler's care and their home. They chose his care. To compensate, the family moved from motel to motel so they'd have a place to sleep. They eventually moved into an emergency housing shelter that provides them a one-room apartment at a reduced rate."The one thing that most people don't understand is this 14-year-old boy doesn't even have his own bed to sleep in at night," Nipper said. "We're in an emergency housing shelter. ... It makes it a lot more difficult for Kyler. He sleeps on a little love seat that his feet hang off of every night."Despite being in the same place as many of those he helps, Kyler stays focused on his mission of lending a hand — or a shoe — where it is needed most."Every morning, the first thing he thinks about is getting up and giving more to others. And to me, that's just the most beautiful part of this whole story," Nipper said, holding back tears."This heals me," Kyler said of his dedication to his company. That's because he has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder since that day in the hallway."It's the nightmares, the flashbacks, the everyday PTSD struggle is real. Man, it's real," Nipper said. "He didn't want to come out of the apartment. He didn't want to talk to anybody. He was scared of his own shadow."But Kyler realized that it was when he focused his energy into organizing shoes by size, steaming stains from dirty sneakers and measuring a child's foot for new school shoes that he felt better."He replaces negative feelings with positive feelings of giving things out. It's his way of communicating past the pain," Nipper said. "Without these shoes, Kyler wouldn't make it through. These shoes help Kyler just as much as they help the people he gives them to."

Just before heading out to wash his donated shoes at a local cleaning shop, Kyler said confidently, "I turned a bad thing into a good thing."And his mom agrees, recognizing the larger impact of his work."Kyler's Kicks is not only a kindness movement, but it's a healing movement," she said proudly. When Kyler donated his 25,000th pair of shoes he hosted a giveaway at the Las Vegas Rescue Mission, "the main place that everybody feels safe at," he said. Kyler and other volunteers spent a hot, sunny weekday unloading a truckload of shoes onto folding tables in the courtyard for people to come shop for new kicks. Throngs of shoppers crowded around the tables, searching for specific sizes, colors, and styles."Oh my gosh, the need is huge," Nipper said, explaining that the shoes Kyler takes to a giveaway often "run out before the line even comes through."

And, of course, Kyler was right there in the midst of them. If a man needed a size 11 walking shoe, he knew exactly which table and which pile to ransack to find just the right one. And if a woman needed a pair of black flats, size 8, to wear to work, he'd walk off and quickly get a few options for her to choose from. He takes great care in making sure each person is happy, comfortable and taken care of. Including one woman who walked away with a black pair of Sketchers walking shoes — Kyler's Kicks' 25,000th pair donated."That's the 25,000th pair of shoes," Kyler told her with a warm smile."And I really appreciate that. And I'm gonna put 25,000 miles on them," she said as the two posed for a sweet picture."Just to think that there are 25,000 people walking around that didn't have shoes that have shoes now, off of the most horrible day in our family's life, it's just so beautiful. It's like a field of flowers have finally grown from the ashes," Nipper said.

And it's one flip-flop, one sandal at a time that Kyler is spreading kindness and giving back dignity."They're nice," one man said as he tried on a pair of red and neon yellow sneakers. "I can't wear heavy shoes because of my Grave's disease. These are very light and my legs won't get tired as fast."And for him, the shoes he was taking home meant so much more beyond their functionality. Picking up the shoes he walked to Las Vegas Rescue Mission in, he said, "These, someone gave me yesterday, you know, I gotta give them back. But now I got my own pair."One woman found some colorful Skechers to match her bright floral dress, saying she feels "blessed" to be going home with them.

As his giveaway neared the end, Kyler spent some time with perhaps his most enthusiastic shoppers. A father walked into the courtyard with his four children, some of them barefoot, looking for some shoes to cover their little feet. Kyler took it upon himself to outfit the youngest toddler with a pair that would be big enough for him to grow into but not so large that he would walk out of them. One by one, he sifted through the piles of kids' shoes, finding tiny sneakers to hold up to the boy's foot to measure. Some were too big, he determined. One possibility had been separated from its match, he said. Finally, he found just the right pair, smiling with the boy's dad as they celebrated the victory.

Though the older kids had easier times finding shoes that fit them, they were no less excited. The older boy, in sweatpants and a track jacket, jumped up and down with a bright smile spreading across his face, his new kicks thumping on the ground with each leap."Dad, look!" he yelled, claiming the new sneakers made him jump higher."What do you say? Say 'thank you' to Kyler," the dad replied. As the tables folded back up and the shoppers dispersed, Kyler was able to finally take a breath after a long day. Even though the teen was ready to collapse into his bed and relax, he hadn't lost sight of what keeps Kyler's Kicks going every day.

"We're spreading positivity and kindness along the way. So that to me is a success," he said. And for Nipper, who can't believe what her son has accomplished at such a young age, "It feels amazing to watch him be so selfless," she said. "But more important, it feels amazing to see him healing."

Grace Mugabe paid her final respects to her dictator husband Robert today at an open casket ceremony in Zimbabwe attended by African leaders. It took place amid a row between the Mugabe family and the government over where the country's strongman founder will be buried. Mugabe's wife, known as Gucci Grace for her lavish spending habits, wanted Robert to be buried at his homestead in a snub to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a once-trusted adviser who ousted the dictator. But the new leader, dubbed 'the Crocodile' after making a sudden and brazen power grab, wanted Mugabe to be interred at the National Heroes' Acre monument. The two sides eventually agreed to build a mausoleum at the monument which means the burial will be delayed for around 30 days. Several African heads of state who led similarly corrupt and oppressive regimes joined the masses in Harare to celebrate Mugabe's life. Mugabe led Zimbabwe for 37 years, from independence until he was ousted by the army in November 2017. He died in a Singapore hospital on September 6, aged 95. The service and viewing of the body of Mugabe, who died last week in Singapore at age 95, was at the National Sports Stadium in the capital.

The move to have him buried in Harare marks a victory for Mnangagwa, who insisted he deserved a place at the shrine. One of the late leader's final wishes was for his wife, Grace Mugabe, to never leave Mr. Mugabe's casket during the funeral up until the point when he is buried. Abiding by his wish, Grace was seen walking behind his casket along with other family members before she paid her respects when his coffin was displayed at the National Sports Stadium. Grace had been forced to flee the country under threat of investigation for corruption, and only agreed to return to Zimbabwe for the funeral after being given assurances she would not be arrested. Since the coup, she had been living with Mugabe in Singapore where he was receiving treatment for cancer, among other ailments.

She was seen at today's ceremony alongside son Bellarmine Chatunga, nicknamed 'the Undertaker' by his father after scoring six U grades in his A-Levels. The notorious 'bad boy' is known for showing off his wealth on Instagram and recently posted a video of himself pouring a £400 bottle of Armand de Brignac Champagne over his diamond-encrusted watch. More than 10 African leaders and several former presidents spoke in praise of Mr. Mugabe at the service today in the Chinese-built stadium, which attracted a crowd filling about 30% of its 60,000 capacity. Most of those attending were supporters of Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party. South African president Cyril Ramaphosa drew boos from the crowd, as a result of the recent attacks in Johannesburg on foreigners, including Zimbabweans. An official pleaded with the stadium crowd to let him speak. Mr. Ramaphosa apologized for the attacks.

Mnangagwa walked behind the casket carrying Mugabe's body as it was wheeled into the center of Harare's National Sports Stadium and placed on a podium decorated with flowers so that ordinary Zimbabweans could say their farewells. Senior army generals and Mugabe's wife and children followed as a brass band played.' Today, let us put aside our differences and come together as we remember the past and look to the future as one proud, independent and free nation,' the president wrote on Twitter. Mnangagwa and the ruling ZANU-PF party wanted Mugabe buried at the national shrine to heroes of the 15-year liberation war against white minority rule. But some relatives, expressing bitterness at the way former comrades ousted Mugabe, had pushed for him to be buried in his home village. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who also chairs the African Union, Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta and long-ruling leaders from Equatorial Guinea and Congo were among heads of state attending Saturday's event. Banners at the stadium where Mugabe's body lay in the state ahead of the funeral read 'Hamba Kahle, Gushungo,' (go well, Gushungo)', a reference to his clan name, and 'Pioneer of nationalist politics'.

Cleo Mapuranga, a caterer, told Reuters: 'I feel low because Mugabe fought for us. I remember him for land to the blacks, economic freedom and higher education which was non-racial.''Now, people are suffering. No one is controlling the prices in the shops. Our finance minister is trying to implement first-world policies which don't work in third-world countries.' Mugabe's death has made some Zimbabweans question what Mnangagwa has achieved in his two years in power. His government has taken steps to cut the budget deficit, remove subsidies on fuel and power and repeal laws curbing public and media freedoms, but those reforms and austerity measures have compounded ordinary people's hardships. Mugabe was feted as a champion of racial reconciliation when he came to power in 1980 in one of the last African states to throw off white colonial rule. By the time he was toppled in 2017 to wild celebrations across the country of 13 million, he was viewed by many at home and abroad as a power-obsessed autocrat who unleashed death squads, rigged elections and ruined the economy to keep control.

His reign was marked by murder, bloodshed, torture, persecution of political opponents, intimidation and vote-rigging on a grand scale and there was jubilation in the streets of Zimbabwe when he was toppled in 2017. Under Mugabe's leadership, which made him a pariah in the West, the economy of a mineral-rich country descended into chaos with thousands of people reduced to grinding poverty after land reforms which boosted Mugabe's personal wealth.

A solid 18-carat gold toilet, worth £5 million, was stolen from Blenheim Palace in the early hours of this morning and remains missing. The golden lavatory went on display two days ago and was designed by controversial Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. It was installed as part of a new exhibition at the Oxfordshire palace, the birthplace of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill in November 1874. Visitors to Blenheim Palace were able to use the five million-pound toilet and were allocated a strict three-minute time slot. Thames Valley Police confirmed the toilet was stolen and a 66-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the theft and remains in police custody.

Dominic Hare, chief executive officer of Blenheim Palace, told the BBC the toilet is valued at about six million dollars and was a 'very precious piece'.When asked if the artist had been contacted, he said: 'There were some slightly nervous calls at 6am but we have spoken to the artist and Lord Edward at the art foundation, and many of the trustees and they have been magnificent in their support.' Mr Hare added: 'We have a sophisticated security set-up here and we have had no loss of this kind in living memory, which probably reflects the quality of that operation.' He was also asked whether a party, which took place at the palace on Friday night, could have created an opportunity for the theft. In response, he said: 'We have been asked not to comment on the investigation. But there was a clear time separation between those things.' Detective Inspector Jess Milne said: 'The piece of art that has been stolen is a high-value toilet made out of gold that was on display at the palace.'

Inspector Richard Nicholls added: 'We are aware they left about 4.50am this morning. CCTV is one of the aspects we are looking on and that will come out in due course.' When asked if he believed a reception party held on the same night of the exhibition's launch could be connected, Insp Nicholls said: 'I am not aware of the reception party personally, but that would form part of our inquiries in order to ascertain events leading up to the item being stolen.' Insp Nicholls said he was only aware of the toilet being stolen and could not comment as to how the property was accessed. The fully-functioning solid gold toilet was created by Cattelan for the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, where more than 100,000 people queued to use the security-guarded loo. Now, after more than 20 years, the exhibition marks Cattelan's first solo show in Britain.

To celebrate this, his most controversial works have been placed in and around the Palace in Oxfordshire to engage and contrast with its unique history. Aside from the toilet, the pieces also include his famous taxidermy horse 'Novecento' suspended from the ceiling of one of the portrait rooms, a model of a schoolboy version of Adolf Hitler on his knees praying and a realistic model of Pope John Paul II being hit by a meteorite. The theft of the golden lavatory comes after the Duke of Marlborough's half-brother, Edward Spencer-Churchill, said last month it wouldn't be 'the easiest thing to nick'.Mr. Spencer-Churchill said: 'Firstly, it's plumbed in and secondly, a potential thief will have no idea who last used the toilet or what they ate.'So no, I don't plan to be guarding it.'

Thames Valley Police said the offenders broke into the palace overnight and left the scene at about 4.50am. There were no injuries during the burglary. Detective Inspector Jess Milne said: 'Due to the toilet being plumbed into the building, this has caused significant damage and flooding.' Detective Inspector Milne added: 'We believe group offenders used at least two vehicles during the offense.' The artwork has not been recovered at this time but we are conducting a thorough investigation to find it and bring those responsible to justice.

She continued: 'Residents will see an increased police presence in the area while officers and staff carry out inquiries. ''I am appealing to anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious in the area to contact police.'You can call us on 101, quoting URN 273 (14/9), visit our website or visit a police station.' Thames Valley Police said they received a report of the burglary at Blenheim Palace at 4.57am. The golden toilet had proved popular at the Guggenheim and has been described by critics as a pointed satire against the excesses of wealth. The sculpture hit the headlines last year after it was offered to US President Donald Trump by the chief curator of the Guggenheim museum in New York, it's former home. Cattelan has previously said: 'Whatever you eat, a two-hundred-dollar lunch or a two-dollar hot dog, the results are the same, toilet-wise.' More than 100,000 people made use of its 'participatory nature' at the Fifth Avenue museum between 2016 and 2017, making available to the public 'an extravagant luxury product seemingly intended for the 1%,' said the Guggenheim website.

Blenheim Palace chief executive Dominic Hare has urged anyone with any information to contact police. He said: 'We are saddened by this extraordinary event, but also relieved no-one was hurt.' We are very grateful to our staff and to Thames Valley Police for their rapid and brave reactions.' We knew there was huge interest in the Maurizio Cattelan contemporary art exhibition, with many sets to come and enjoy the installations.' It's, therefore, a great shame an item so precious has been taken, but we still have so many fascinating treasures in the palace and the remaining items of the exhibition to share.'The investigation continues, but it will be business as usual from tomorrow, so visitors can continue to come and experience all we have to offer.'If anyone knows or saw anything suspicious in connection with the event that may help us secure its return please contact Thames Valley Police.'

On Twitter, Blenheim Palace announced that it would be closed today and said: 'Due to an unforeseen incident at the Palace we are closed until lunchtime, the Park will remain open. Apologies for any inconvenience.' A site design company for the Palace, EventSiteDesign, tweeted this morning: 'We've had some drama overnight which I won't elaborate on just yet but it has meant we need to redirect our contractor traffic for the day.'

More and more Africans on the continent, as well as, Africans-Americans and others with African ancestry, are embracing African spirituality, a faith system practised by African ancestors. A report in the U.S. showed African-American women in Maryland forsaking hitherto religions they subscribed to for African spirituality. They also have no problems being described as ‘witches’.The college-educated professionals said they were leaving traditional churches for spiritual beliefs which connect them to their ancestors, noting that those beliefs empowered them to control their well-being. Having subscribed to the ancient form of spiritual contact, the women have a high priestess, Iyanifa Oyadele Ogunsina, who leads and performs rites. She notes that anyone who comes with good intent is welcome and embraced, however, if one came with a vile spirit and aimed to disrespect, they will find that she can quickly become a nightmare. The Maryland group, also going by the name ‘Dawtas of the Moon’, say they welcome both men and women. Shango Yemi, a realtor, notes that although her granddad was a preacher, she’s had to give up the Christian faith to seek her own path. With a Baptist background where parents were deacons, Iyawo Orisa Omitola has also joined the folks to venerate the ancestors. At their meeting centre, prayers and supplications are offered to the deity, Oshun. Rites are performed for those seeking love, marriage, children and business. There is also the Black Witch Convention which registered at least 200 women in a Baltimore reception hall last year. The ‘Dawtas’ of the Moon say worshipping African deities “is something our ancestors did and we are tapping into it so that we can become our best selves individually and collectively.”The members wear African fabric, adorning their bodies with beads, shells, ankh, rings and other African themed items. Perhaps, not being fulfilled with their faith, a new consciousness has dawned to connect with their heritage. It could also be that the many scandals of the Christian faith leaders have proven too much for these sisters, hence a return to their roots. In essence, they are practising Ifa, a West African Yoruba tradition. The Ifa divination system, which makes use of an extensive corpus of texts and mathematical formulas, is practised among Yoruba communities and by the African diaspora in the Americas and the Caribbean. The word Ifa refers to the mystical figure Ifa or Orunmila, regarded by the Yoruba as the deity of wisdom and intellectual development. In contrast to other forms of divination that employ spirit mediumship, Ifa divination does not rely on a person having oracular powers but rather on a system of signs that are interpreted by a diviner, the Ifa priest or Babalawo, literally “the priest’s father”.The Ifa divination system is applied whenever an important individual or collective decision has to be made. The Ifa literary corpus, called odu, consists of 256 parts subdivided into verses called ese, whose exact number is unknown as they are constantly increasing (there are around 800 ese per odu). Each of the 256 odu has its specific divination signature, which is determined by the Babalawo using sacred palm-nuts and a divination chain. The ese, considered the most important part of Ifa divination, are chanted by the priests in poetic language. The ese reflect Yoruba history, language, beliefs, cosmovision and contemporary social issues. The knowledge of Ifa has been preserved within Yoruba communities and transmitted among Ifa priests.

When Jessica Allen signed up to become a surrogate, she thought it would be an easy way to help out someone in need. Allen, who was already a mother of two sons, knew the ins and outs of pregnancy. She followed the rules and the surrogacy seemed to go off without a hitch…until the delivery room when things got messy. The months that followed led Allen to share her story with the world. She told People, “I’d never do it again. I’m not the only one with a nightmare story, but I am the only one with a story like this.” Read on to see what happened in the delivery room that changed everything. Jessica Allen Thought The Couple She Was Helping Meant Well. Jessica Allen, a California mom of two, thought she was doing a nice thing by signing on to be the surrogate of a lovely Chinese couple. Since surrogacy is illegal in China, the couple came all the way to the U.S. in order to find a surrogate that would have their baby. Anyone who has struggled to conceive is likely familiar with the emotional and physical trauma the Chinese couple must have gone through to resort to surrogacy. There’s no doubt that what Allen was doing for them was a wonderful thing. She Followed All The RulesAllen worked with San Diego-based Omega Family Global, who paired her with the hopeful couple. In April 2016, Allen had the couple’s single male embryo implanted in her uterus through in-vitro fertilization. Surrogates are required to take estrogen and progestogen in order to prepare their wombs for successful implantation. Allen was careful to follow the IVF doctor’s instructions both before and after implantation so that the pregnancy would be a success. Six weeks into the pregnancy, however, the doctor found something that would make Allen pretty concerned.

The Doctors Couldn’t Believe What They Saw

At her six-week scan, the doctors told Allen that she was carrying two babies in her womb. The doctor explained that the chances of a splitting embryo were rare, but that it does happen. Everyone assumed that that was the case and Allen was relieved to know that the couple was excited to be getting twins.

Allen was paid $30,000 plus expenses for volunteering herself as a surrogate. When it was discovered she would be having two babies, her monthly paychecks increased by $5,000. Things were going along just fine until it was time to deliver. After all, was said and done, Allen and her husband were in for a big surprise…

Allen Noticed Something Odd About The Babies

On December 12, 2016, at 38 weeks’ gestation, Allen delivered the two babies via C-section. Because the operation was performed behind an opaque screen, Allen didn’t get the chance to see the babies as they were immediately taken from the operating room. Later that night while she was recovering, Allen received a visit from the intended mother, who showed her a picture of the babies on her phone. “One looked full Chinese, the other didn’t look full Chinese. It was clear that they were not identical… but I didn’t ask questions,” Allen told People magazine.

The Message That Changed Everything

After the delivery, everyone went their separate ways and Allen returned home to recover. She and her husband used the money they were paid to purchase a brand new home. Almost a month later, they were getting ready for move-in day when Allen received a text from the intended mother. The mother sent Allen a picture of the babies and expressed doubt that one of them belonged to her. Allen told New York Post that the intended mother asked, "They are not the same, right?" and "Have you thought about why they are different?"

It’s A Rare Medical Phenomenon, But It Happens

The following week, the babies were subject to a DNA test with unexpected results. As it turned out, one of the babies wasn’t the twin of the implanted embryo. Instead, it was actually the biological son of Allen and her husband! Both embryos even had differing gestational ages.

A medical phenomenon like this is called superfetation, in which a woman continues to ovulate during pregnancy. This means that Allen conceived another child in her womb while she had the implanted embryo of the couple growing inside her. For their part, Allen and her husband were shocked that this happened. You would think that the couple would just give Allen her baby, but of course, it wasn’t going to be easy…

They Thought They Were In The Clear

Allen and her husband were dumbfounded to discover that one of the babies she delivered was theirs. Per the IVF doctor’s instructions, they waited to get intimate again until Allen herself was confirmed pregnant with the implanted embryo for several weeks.“As per my contract, Wardell [Allen’s husband] and I did not have intercourse until we were given permission by the IVF doctor, who recommended the use of condoms,” Allen told New York Post. In this case, it is also believed that his phenomenon happened as a result of contraceptive failure.

Allen And Her Husband Didn’t Know What To Do

Nonetheless, Allen and her husband were hit with the news that they had a third baby. They were shocked, to say the least. "I was panicking. My husband and I were panicking. We had no idea how this came about and we had no idea how we were going to prepare for a child overnight. We just moved into a new house, we didn’t have any more money," Allen told People magazine. While they scrambled to figure out how they were going to handle their unexpected blessing, they were in for a far worse surprise.

Things Took A Turn For The Worst

With the new knowledge that one of the babies was theirs, Allen and her husband did what they could to bring him home. At this point, however, things started to get a little messy and bringing home their son wasn’t going to happen without a catch. Shortly after they found out one of the babies wasn’t theirs, the Chinese couple allegedly wanted nothing to do with him. Allen was told someone from the surrogate agency was looking after her son and that the Chinese couple demanded up to $22,000 in compensation!. Soon Allen was placed in a situation where she thought she’d lose her own child for good…

The Outrageous Demands That Came Their Way

“We’d already spent most of the money we earned from the surrogacy contract, but now we were apparently on the hook for thousands of dollars,” Allen told New York Post. In addition to the $22,000 compensation, the intended parents demanded, the agency also demanded several thousand dollars for the caseworker who was looking after their son. Having just moved into a brand new home, Allen and her husband were in no position to pay the money they supposedly owed to the couple and to the agency. Allen was then told her baby was going to be put up for adoption.

The Agency Was Looking For Parents To Adopt Allen’s Son

Allen tells New York Post, “To my disgust, a caseworker from the agency lined up parents to adopt him and ‘absorb’ the money we owed to the [couple]. Or, if that didn’t work out, the [couple] were thinking of putting [my son] up for adoption, as they were still his legal parents.”Allen and her husband were truly in a messed up situation. It should have been as simple as handing her son over to her, but the agency and the couple apparently wouldn’t let that happen without getting what they believed was owed to them

"They Wanted Me To Buy Or Adopt My Own Child"

After hearing the news that the intended mom wanted to put the other baby up for adoption, Allen and her husband started to lose hope.“I thought I wasn’t going to get him back because they were pressuring me to pay this money back first. Then they were saying that the intending mom was thinking about giving him up for adoption… I thought I had a child out there that I was gonna be forced to let go of all because I couldn’t buy him or because I couldn’t adopt him,” Allen told People magazine. Eventually, Allen discovered something fishy going on within the agency…

Who Was In The Wrong Here?

It was then that the real battle began. Allen and her husband put themselves in debt trying to get their son back, but after hiring an attorney they were left to negotiate with the surrogate agency. There was a question over whether anyone was in the wrong in this situation. Some believe that Allen and her husband should have abstained completely, while others believe the IVF doctor is to blame for giving the go-ahead. Others believe the intended parents were in the wrong, but at the same time, they were forced to pay more on the notion that they were expecting twins.

Allen Thinks The Agency Was Manipulating The Couple

Allen and her husband hired an attorney to get their son back from the surrogacy agency. She doesn’t blame the Chinese couple for the drama and believes that the agency was manipulating them. Allen told People of the intended mother, “It’s not her fault… The agency put it in her head that I was going to try to sue her. I never said those words. Since she was scared that I was going to sue her, she starts sending me all kinds of text messages.”

The Agency Kept Making Excuses

After a lengthy legal battle with the Omega Family Global, Allen says they finally owed nothing. Still, physically gaining custody of her son was like a game of cat and mouse.“We tried to get him on numerous occasions, but one excuse they gave us was the intended parents didn’t want to sign over the power of attorney, so we didn’t get him… We got another call and we were supposed to get him, then we didn’t because they were thinking about giving him up for adoption,” Allen told People magazine. You won’t believe how long it took the agency to give Allen’s son back to her!

The Surrogacy Agency Was Tightlipped

It’s a wonder why Omega Family Global put Allen through a painstaking process to get her son back when all parties knew that he was biologically hers. Not only did Omega Family Global refute some of the claims Allen made, but they also issued their own statement.“By its very nature surrogacy is a complicated journey which necessitates the support and care of agencies, parents, surrogates, psychologist, lawyers, and a host of other professionals. As with any pregnancy, issues do arise which require great care, attention to detail and respect for the process and the emotions of all involved,” they told New York Post.

It Took Almost Two Months To Meet Her Son

Allen delivered the babies on December 12, 2016, and after three failed attempts to get her son back, she finally held him in her arms for the first time almost two months later.“And so, on [February] 5, I finally met a caseworker from Omega in a Starbucks parking lot in Menifee, [California], where she handed over our son, whom we’ve renamed Malachi. The moment was incredibly emotional, and I started hugging and kissing my boy,” Allen told New York Post. For her part, Allen wants her story to be a cautionary tale. And she and her husband still had to deal with the repercussions…

She Wants Others To Learn From Her Story

Allen has expressed that she will never become a surrogate again after what has happened to her but doesn’t regret this particular moment.“[My husband and I] weren’t planning to expand our family so soon, but we treasure Malachi with all our hearts. I don’t regret becoming a surrogate mom because that would mean regretting my son. I just hope other women considering surrogacy can learn from my story. And that a greater good will come out of this nightmare,” Allen told New York Post. Though they got their son back, Allen and her husband are still fighting.

They Now Have To Deal With The Financial Aftermath

Though the custody battle over their son is over, Allen and her husband are still engulfed in legal battles and are in enormous debt.“It’s very stressful financially, it’s put us in debt. We’re barely getting by right now and it stressed me out emotionally because this agency turned their backs on me… Knowing that for the first two months of [Malachi’s] brand new life that he was in the arms of strangers, that breaks my heart. It’s really heartbreaking,” Allen said to People magazine.

Malachi Is Living His Happily Ever After

On a more positive note, Allen and her family are just happy to have their baby with them. Allen’s story came to light almost a year after the ordeal happened. By the time Allen was talking to media outlets, Malachi was thankfully well-adjusted into his rightful home.“He’s a little man. He’s like 10 months going on 10. He’s walking around already. He’s trying to talk. He has an attitude and he’s funny and his personality is just goofy and bossy all at once. He walks around like he runs the world,” Allen told People.